Colorado Springs News, Sports & Business

Colorado Springs manslaughter suspect claims shooting 'unintentional'

The man accused of manslaughter in the shooting death of another man in a northeast side home told police he'd never handled a gun and the handgun he found under a cushion went off accidentally as he tried to set it on a table, according to an arrest affidavit.

Benjamin J. Brown III is accused in the the fatal shooting of Logan Treguier, 20, according to Colorado Springs police.

Treguier was found inside a house with a gunshot wound to the chest, following reports of gunfire at 5461 Mosquito Pass Drive, shortly after 11 p.m.

Treguier's Facebook page said he was a 2011 graduate of Palmer High School , studying at Pikes Peak Community College and that he worked at Safeway.

According to the affidavit, Brown, 21, initially told investigators he wasn't at the house when the incident ocurred.

Later, Brown admitted he had been in the basement of the home with Treguier and three other males, the affidavit said.

Brown told police he had found a handgun under the couch cushion he was sitting on and when he tried to set it on a table, he fumbled the weapon.

"Brown said as he went to catch the gun in his hand, the gun unintentionally discharged and struck Logan Treguier," the affidavit said. "Brown said he then ran to his vehicle and hid the handgun underneath a seat."

Brown told police he smoked marijuana upon arriving at Treguier's home and that he had never had firearm training, handled a gun, or shot a gun before Friday's shooting, the affidavit said. Brown was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, a class-four felony. Colorado law defines it as reckless killing.

Court records show Brown, of Mesa County , was booked into the El Paso County jail Saturday and posted $10,000 bail the same day.

He is scheduled to be advised of his charges Tuesday at the El Paso County courthouse and his first appearance will take place Oct. 7, according to court records.

Treguier's death marked the 25th homicide in Colorado Springs this year.

That puts the city on pace to shatter the record of 32 homicides in a year, set in 2011.